Troopers: 41-year-old murder case solved with Seymour arrest

A Seymour man has been arrested in an exactly 41-year-old murder cold case investigation.

According to Indiana State Police, 24-year-old Clifford Smith was murdered in rural Jackson County on Oct. 31st of 1982. He was first reported missing on November 4th of that year, but his body wasn’t found until December of 1982 when it was discovered by animal trappers working in an area along East Fork White River near Rockford.

He had been killed by a gunshot wound to the head. Although the murder was investigated at the time, and for years afterwards by successive detectives, no arrest was made.

However, State Police Sgt. Kip Main has been investigating the case since 2015. His investigation alleges that the now 61-year-old Ronald J. Anderson of Seymour was at a home with Smith late on Oct. 30th of 1982, loaded a shotgun, then left the home with Smith and the victim was never seen alive again.

Police say that Anderson returned the murder weapon to the home in Seymour and later returned to the scene of the crime to hide evidence.

Main’s investigation led to an arrest warrant from the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office and Anderson was arrested without incident.

Indiana State Police are committed to solving previously unsolved cases to provide closure to the family and to prosecute those responsible.